Students and community press DPSCD to add Eid to the calendar and push for sanctuary protections and training

More than 20 speakers used the board’s public comment period to press the Detroit Public Schools Community District to add Eid to the school calendar, to demand clearer sanctuary protections, and to call for mandatory staff training and communications when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity affects students and families.

Student speakers and organizers, including Nabila Wahid of My Student’s Dream and multiple student ambassadors, described Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as major religious observances for many students and asked the board to include those days on the 2027 school-year calendar so Muslim students can observe them without academic penalty. Speakers said the rotating nature of Eid and its overlap with finals can force students to choose between religious observance and major assessments.

Teachers and union members urged the board to move beyond resolutions and provide concrete training for staff and security on how to respond when ICE is present in school communities. Teacher Kristen Schottle and others asked what kinds of warrants ICE needs to enter a school or classroom and called for mandatory, practical training at an upcoming professional development day rather than a single advisory email.

Parents and advocates raised concerns about access to special-education services and American Sign Language interpretation for nonverbal students. Tanya Wells, a parent, recounted a personal experience alleging inadequate sign-language instruction and demanded follow-up and concrete support.

Responding to commenters, Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Veedy said the district mailed a letter advocating for detained students before winter break (around Dec. 19) and had not received a response. He said the district is meeting with the mayor’s office on youth-related priorities and that staff will investigate reported issues such as the lack of heat in a school office. Veedy reiterated that calendar changes (such as adding Eid) are revisited annually in negotiations with unions and that the district will adjust final exam schedules if a holiday falls on a scheduled exam day. He also said the district currently employs 86 attendance agents and that any bonus program for agents would likely require collective bargaining negotiations.

Speakers asked for clearer, more timely communication when ICE activity occurs, immediate scheduling of training for staff and security, and stronger sanctuary-style protections to protect student privacy and attendance. The board said it will follow up on specific requests and publish additional details online.